


Captain Mills

by ReginaPendragon



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-04 18:34:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14026197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaPendragon/pseuds/ReginaPendragon
Summary: Regina Mills has always had one goal: to be the first Betazoid captain in Starfleet. As she prepares to embark upon her first command, Captain Mills reminiscences about everything that has led her to this moment. She sacrificed her chance at love to rise through the ranks, but could she still have a second chance with her first love, Lieutenant Robin Locksley?





	1. Part 1: The Present

**Author's Note:**

> This work contains mild spoilers for the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. I tried to keep it vague for two reasons: first, for the folks who haven't watched it yet, second for the folks who are just here for the Outlaw Queen stuff. This story was written for the OQPromptParty, based on prompt #103: OQ in a Star Trek or Stargate setting.

En route to Vulcan.  
Present Day, Year 2257.

"Captain? Pardon me, Captain Mills?"

Captain Regina Mills looked up from her reverie to see the junior officer hovering over her. She'd met Ensign Ruby Lucas mere hours ago when they both boarded the same transport ship en route to Vulcan and had taken an immediate liking to her. Ensign Lucas was everything an eager young officer should be: polite, personable and ready to prove herself. Once upon a time, Captain Mills had been one such officer.

There was an air of nervousness about the ensign as well: she stood a little too stiffly, but her smiling face betrayed the inner conflict of one that was still prone to youthful exuberance, despite the serious career path she'd chosen. The gold piping on Ensign Lucas's dark blue uniform indicated that she was on the command track. But Captain Mills would have picked up on that even if the ensign had been out of uniform.

Not many people knew that Regina Mills was a Betazoid. It was only when they looked closely at her dark eyes that the tell-tale black irises gave her away. Betazoids looked human in all other respects, but they had psionic abilities that humans did not. Those abilities manifested in varying degrees of telepathy, empathic abilities, and some rare cases of telekinesis. Captain Mills herself wasn't a very powerful telepath, but her empathic abilities were first rate: she could sense the emotions and intentions of those around her with frightening accuracy. In her line of work, her ability had saved her life more than once.

But she had to rein it in when it wasn't called for. Regina never used her telepathy unless it was life or death and she only used her empathic abilities when the situation warranted extra caution. While it was common on Betazed to always be aware of everyone’s emotions and intentions, humans and other species found it invasive. She offered Ensign Lucas a smile she hoped was reassuring and spoke. "I take it we have arrived?"

Ensign Lucas nodded. "We have, Captain. We just entered orbit over Vulcan and will begin our descent presently."

"Good. And when is the Discovery due to arrive?"

Ensign Lucas checked her tablet. "Two days from now."

"Excellent." A little time to rest and recharge before I take command. A few more precious days for the reality of it to sink in. I’m going to be a captain. All my years of hard work have finally paid off.

The USS Discovery was to be her first command. Recently promoted, Captain Mills was the first Betazoid to make captain, though she was not the first Betazoid in Starfleet. Ever since her homeworld had begun negotiations to join the United Federation of Planets, more and more of her people had left home to attend Starfleet Academy on Earth. Regina Mills had gone through the Academy with them, climbing and clawing her way up the ranks – from cadet, to ensign, to lieutenant, to commander - all for the honour of being the first.

And to think, a year ago, her career had almost come to a standstill. It's a pity I'll never see the look on old Admiral Gold's face, she thought. The memory of her first mentor still riled her. After losing her last assignment, he'd even sent a subspace message to gloat. To remind her that his new protege, Commander Swan, was doing very well and that he hoped she'd make captain soon. Cheeky bastard. That was a year ago, and Commander Swan was still a commander. It took all her self-control not to be smug. Smugness was unbecoming in a starship captain. 

Ensign Lucas was still hovering, a wave of nervousness clinging to her like a heavy cloud. "Was there something else?" Captain Mills inquired. Of course there is, she added to herself. Or else I wouldn't be sensing such strong emotions from her.

The ensign cleared her throat. "Permission to speak freely, Captain?"

Here we go, she thought. "Permission granted."

Lucas's lips curved into a genuine smile, indicating that she had no ill intent, only admiration. "I just wanted to say... I read the report on your mission to Ademaru and..."

Of course. The mission that had earned her this promotion.

The ensign's emotions shifted toward gratitude as she continued to speak. "My grandmother lives on Ademaru. She was injured during the initial attack, but she survived. Thanks to you and Lieutenant Locksley. It's been..." She stumbled over her words, unsure of how to proceed. "It's been such an honour to meet you. You're a hero on my homeworld." She finished, shifting back to nervousness again. "Do you have any advice for a young officer like me?"

She was so earnest, so unassuming. It was moments like this when Captain Mills let the persona of captain slip away so she could become plain and simple Regina Mills again. "You're joining the crew of that new ship, correct? The USS Rogers?"

"That's right." 

Regina nodded her approval. "Captain Jones is and old friend of mine from the Academy. If you impress him, you'll be set. The best way of doing that is by getting into his first officer's good graces. She's a bit prickly, but it will be worth the effort in the end." That was about the nicest thing she could say about Commander Swan. She didn’t dislike the woman. Not really. She just didn’t understand what made her tick. Some people were harder to read than others, even for someone with empathic abilities. 

The ship dipped lower into the atmosphere and began to make its descent. In an instant, Regina’s captain's hat was back on. "And this goes without saying, ensign: find yourself a good mentor. I wouldn't have made captain at such a young age if it wasn't for the guidance of Admiral Drake." And thank God she had. After her falling out with Admiral Gold, she'd almost given up on her dream of becoming a captain. But Maleficent Drake - still Captain Drake back in those days - had seen her potential. Regina wanted to say don't trust older male authority figures, but she didn't want to frighten the poor ensign before her first assignment. Not every difficult officer you encounter will be like Admiral Gold, she reminded herself. Or Captain Lorca, for that matter. 

The shuttle came to a stop at the designated landing site just outside the Federation embassy on Vulcan. The usual scramble to grab suitcases and carry-ons was less of a scramble here, for many of the other passengers on the transport were Vulcan, and as such, scrambling was illogical. They disembarked in an orderly fashion with Captain Mills leading the way and Ensign Lucas following at a respectful pace behind. Even with her back to the girl, Regina's Betazoid senses could feel the jumble of emotions radiating off of her. How exciting to be embarking on a first assignment. And Captain Jones isn't so bad. She's got the same can-do spirit that he has. She'll be a good fit on his crew, I can already tell. 

"Thank you for your advice, captain," Ensign Lucas said as they parted ways at the crew quarters. "And thank you for..." she trailed off again, letting her emotions speak for her. Many souls had been lost in the attack on Ademaru but it would have been a lot worse if then-Commander Mills and Lieutenant Locksley hadn't been there. She felt a pang in her chest and suddenly she was thinking of him again. Robin Locksley, the one that got away.

Such an open display of emotions was unseemly, especially here on Vulcan. Putting on her captain's hat once more, Captain Mills said, "we are Starfleet officers, ensign. We live to serve."

Federation Embassy on Vulcan  
Present Day, Year 2257

The first thing any captain with their salt should do when given a new command was familiarize themselves with their crew. There were many schools of thought on how to do this and every experienced captain had their own opinion on which method was best. But Captain Regina Mills was not an experienced captain yet. She didn’t have the clout to choose her own crew, so she had to work with what she was given. She had a passing familiarity with a few of the senior officers from her previous brief stint on the Discovery before her transfer. With only two days to prepare, she had to work quickly to get to know the rest of them. This is my second chance to serve on the Discovery, she reminded herself. I have to be prepared this time so I don’t get blindsided again.

Once ensconced in her quarters – a spartan rectangle of space with neutral colours and little adornment, in typical Vulcan minimalist style – she logged into the database with her new command code and called up the crew manifest of the USS Discovery. I’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way, she decided. One day I’ll be able to pick my own crew. But today, I have to work with what I have. 

What she had were crew profiles: the personal history of every officer from career highlights and skills to a small section on off-duty hobbies. Regina would not be able to do a full assessment until she met her new crew face-to-face and could put her empathic abilities to the test. But maybe this bare minimum of impersonal information could help her better rationalize her thoughts. It could be overwhelming for an empath to go somewhere where they didn’t know anyone. The swirl of emotions could become a cacophony if one didn’t take care to protect themselves. She’d discovered meditation during her time at the Academy thanks to a Vulcan classmate. But maybe I should ask one of the Vulcan officers stationed here for a refresher, she thought. A captain can’t get overwhelmed on her first day on the bridge of her starship. 

In the last year, the Discovery had become one of the most talked about ships in the entire fleet. Not as famous as the Enterprise – no ship was as famous as the Enterprise – but infamous in its own unique way. It was not widely known that the Discovery’s last captain, a man named Gabriel Lorca, had not been what he seemed. Starfleet had been forced to stage a large-scale coverup to keep the terrible truth from getting out. Only a select number of the Discovery’s crew, its new captain and a few admirals were privy to the dirty details.

Regina Mills had met Gabriel Lorca only once. She’d first been assigned to the Discovery over a year ago only to be reassigned almost immediately. That day still riled her. She’d barely settled into her quarters before Captain Lorca summoned her to his office. She knew his record: he’d been a captain for some time, but his transfer to the Discovery was more recent. And he’d had his own ideas about how a captain should get to know his new crew.

USS Discovery  
1 year ago, 2256.

Captain Lorca greeted Commander Mills from behind a standing desk in his dimly lit office. The dim lighting should have been the first sign that something was off, but she’d brushed it aside. Every captain has their quirks, she’d reminded herself. Captain Jones collects ships in bottles. Admiral Drake always has at least three candles lit. And Captain Georgiou… she’d only met the captain of the USS Shenzhou once, but in that brief encounter, she’d learned that Georgiou only listened to music on vinyl. So what if Lorca likes to squint in the dark and keep a bowl of fortune cookies on his desk? You’re Starfleet. You’ve seen stranger things.

Lorca regarded her with an appraising eye. Regina was used to this. Her petite stature and pretty face made people underestimate her. She squared her shoulders and cast an appraising look of her own back at him. She didn't like to use the full brunt of her abilities unless she had to, but if she wanted any hope of understanding what made this man tick, now was as good a time as any. She opened the door in her mind and reached out with her sixth sense. Immediately she was struck by the air of confidence that radiated around him. An essential quality in a captain. But there was something else lurking beneath that confidence. Something she instantly distrusted. She introduced herself and let him steer the conversation, giving her instincts a chance to catch up. 

“Your record is exemplary, Commander Mills. Top of your class at Starfleet Academy, already a commander just a few weeks shy of your thirtieth birthday. Glowing recommendations from all of your previous superior officers…” he paused to look down at her, as he stood much taller than she. “So, tell me, commander: why would an officer with your level of ability want to waste away her talents in a laboratory?”

Regina was taken aback. She’d been on the command track for years, but her background from the Academy was in science: astronomy, chemistry, physics, the whole gamut. Her work in the chemistry lab had earned her the nickname Potion Queen, for her work with poisons and antidotes. “The USS Discovery is the premiere science vessel in the fleet,” she said. “With my background, it’s the best fit for an officer such as myself, with both scientific and command experience.”

She detected a flare of derision from him – an odd response for the captain of a science vessel. “I’m not talking about your science credentials, Commander Mills. I’m talking about your work in conflict resolution. They tell me you’re quite the diplomat. Admiral Drake in particular praised your speechmaking skills.”

She didn’t need to be empathic to sense a but coming.

“There’s an important diplomatic mission that’s just come across my desk,” Captain Lorca went on. “As you know, the war with the Klingons has not been going well. Attacks on our outlying colonies have been increasing. Many outposts have already been claimed by different factions within the Klingon Empire.” Another flare of derision. “But there is one planet that’s been able to fight back. A small world called Ademaru. Have you heard of it?”

Of course she’d heard of it. She read every report on the war effort. Not trusting her voice, she merely nodded. Lorca’s swirling emotions were throwing her off.

“Admiral Cornwell is sending a contingent of officers to Ademaru to help the local resistance fighters. After the government building was attacked, one of our own officers, a Lieutenant Robin Locksley, took over as interim leader. He’s a native of Ademaru on a leave of absence from Starfleet. But we need the presence of a higher-ranking Starfleet officer to oversee things. In short Commander Mills, we need someone like you.”

The mention of Robin Locksley’s name threw her off even more than any of Lorca’s conflicting emotions. She hadn’t seen Robin since their days at the Academy and they hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms. “How long will this mission last?” she inquired.

Lorca shrugged his shoulders apologetically but it didn’t mask the sudden rush of annoyance that floated out of his emotional vortex. “That all depends on how long the war lasts,” he said. “If the colony has to be abandoned, the officers will be reassigned to wherever they’re needed most.”

The gravity of what he was saying finally pulled her down to reality. “So this isn’t just a mission. It’s a reassignment.”

Lorca nodded. “I’m afraid so, Commander Mills.”

Her dream assignment on an elite science vessel was being taken away before it even started. She would not cry. Not here in front of this sinister man and his conflicting cloud of emotions. She would hold her head up and push back. “With all due respect captain, I…”

Lorca held up a hand. “I’m going to stop you right there, Mills. This isn’t up for negotiation.” His expression softened ever so slightly but the damage was already done. This man had no interest in having her on his crew. She could see that now. He must be conflicted because he knows my record is exemplary and feels bad about turning me away, she reasoned. That’s why I’m having such a hard time reading him. “This isn’t personal,” Lorca continued. “I have a… talent for seeing potential in my officers. I endeavour to ensure that all of Starfleet’s best resources are being used to the fullest of that potential, especially now that we're in the middle of a war. It is my belief that your talents would be better suited to the mission on Ademaru than on this ship. At least for now.”

We’ll see about that, she remembered thinking. I’ll prove my worth one way or another. She would go to Ademaru and she would do whatever it took to protect the colony from another Klingon attack. Even if it meant coming face to face with the man who’s heart she’d broken all those years ago. Or maybe he'd broken her heart. Either way, their hearts would soon collide again.


	2. Part 2: The Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Day 2 the OQ Prompt Party 2018: Prompt 103 (OQ in a Star Trek setting) and Prompt 64 (drunk Regina admits something embarrassing)

Starfleet Academy  
11 years ago, 2246

Robin Locksley had gotten away from Regina Mills precisely four times. 

The first time was during their first year at Starfleet Academy. To say that Cadet Mills had big dreams would have been an understatement. She always had to be the first: the first one in the classroom in the morning, the first one in the lab in the afternoon, the first one in the gym in the evening. None of that left any time for fun. Not if she wanted to be the first Betazoid captain in Starfleet.

But being first did not always mean being the best. There were some things she wasn’t good at. She soon ruled out piloting as a possible career path. Despite logging four times more than the required hours of flight time in the shuttle simulator, she couldn’t make a smooth landing to save her life. Engineering was another dead end. She knew the basics of warp mechanics but crawling around the engine room wasn’t her true calling. At one point a well-meaning advisor called her aside and tried to steer her into psychology, but she turned that down too. “Just because I’m good at reading people’s feelings doesn’t mean that’s what I should stake my entire career on,” she’d argued. “Take another look at my aptitude tests. I know I have other areas of strength.”

The advisor cleared her throat and looked at the chart in front of her. “You did score high on leadership abilities and problem-solving skills. Perhaps the command track would be more suitable. But you still need a backup. Let’s take another look at your grades this semester…”

She left the meeting with astrometrics and quantum physics as her backups. For once she was the one in the cloud of conflicting emotions, so she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. It’s such a stereotype that Betazoids are only good at being psychologists and doctors, she fumed. I have no ill-will against those that are, but my people are more than that. We are capable of great things. I didn’t leave my home planet and come all the way to Earth to be put in a box. And if that means I have to become the first Betazoid captain in Starfleet to prove our worth to the Federation…

She was jostled out of her jumbled thoughts when she collided with someone. “What the hell!” she exclaimed, even though it was her fault. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going, you…” she looked up to see one of her classmates from combat training eyeing her with a bemused expression on his handsome face: Robin Locksley, one of the most popular young men in her year. Damn it. It had to be someone she knew. She couldn’t just bump into some stranger she’d never have to see again. “Oh. It’s you.”

His bemused expression shifted into a smile. “And it’s you. The girl who keeps monopolizing the fencing trainer. Unusual choice of weapon, don’t you think?” His eyes were playful.

She bristled. “That’s rich, coming from the guy who’s obsessed with bows and crossbows.”

Normally a comment like that would rankle the person it was directed at, but his expression didn’t change. “Touché. It’s Mills, isn’t it? I’m Locksley.” He held out a hand to shake.

Handshakes were a human gesture she didn’t trust, so she made no move to take his hand. “I know who you are. Everyone in combat training calls you Robin Hood. Because of the whole bow and arrow thing.” She couldn’t help but smirk. “And I prefer Regina.”

“Regina,” he repeated. “So that’s why they call you the queen of the chem lab.”

That gave her pause. She hadn’t tried reading him yet. Hadn’t wanted to expend the extra energy. But a quick assessment assured her that his outwardly playful expression matched up with his internal playful nature. And that he was smarter than she’d given him credit for. “You know Latin?”

He gave a modest shrug. “I’m not just another dumb jock… your majesty.” His intent shifted toward something more flirtatious. “You’ll find there are a great many things I’m good at. Languages being one of them.”

Why is he being nice to me after I crashed into him and acted like it was his fault? Could it be… oh, damn it. He probably has a crush on me. If only I had time for crushes. “Look, Locksley-” 

“Robin,” he corrected.

“Robin,” she agreed. “You’re really good with the bow. You’re right, I’m not one to judge about weird weapons. And you’re really cute. But this…” she gestured to the space between them, “isn’t something I have time for.”

She made to walk away but he followed half a step behind. “That’s a bit presumptuous, isn’t it?” His eyes were still teasing but she felt a faint stab of hurt buried beneath the surface. 

Feeling guilty, she slowed her steps. “Betazoid reflex. I can always tell when guys are trying to me more than friends with me.”

“Ah.” A look of comprehension dawned on him. “I suppose you get that a lot. You are rather...” he trailed off, worried he'd caused offence. "You're stunning, if you don't mind my saying so." 

She didn't mind at all. “My people value honesty,” she continued, “so I’m going to be frank with you: I’m on the command track now. I'm going to be the first Betazoid captain in Starfleet. I’m not going to have time to date until after I graduate. It’s nothing personal. I'm under a lot of pressure here.” She lowered her voice before going on. "My parents didn't want me to come to the Academy, you know. They wanted me to stay home and go to the University of Betazed, just like my mother did. But I wanted more. I have to succeed here, or else it's all for nothing."

“Of course.” He nodded. “I understand the pressure. I'm the first person in my family to go to the Academy," he added, somewhat shyly. 

"So you know how much is at stake," she said. "You and I are pioneers, Cadet Locksley. There's no easy way for us."

"But if you ever need a friend…” he let the invitation dangle, polite to the end. She detected no ill-intent, no pretense. He was even still smiling. It was kind of sweet. Maybe if she had more room in her life, things could have been different.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised, and she meant it.

Starfleet Academy  
8 years ago, 2249

The second time Robin Locksley got away from Regina Mills was in fourth year. True to his word, he'd been a good friend to her all through their time at the Academy. But their time at the Academy was coming to an end at last. Soon they'd be graduating and embarking on their first assignments.

On the day of Regina's final evaluation, Robin and Regina's other close friend, Mary Margaret Blanchard, waited patiently outside her dormitory to hear the results. They looked so serious when she walked it that Regina couldn't resist teasing them in a little. When she entered the common room, she pretended to look downcast and distraught, as if her evaluation had gone poorly. Her friends jumped up in unison to console her but she held up her hands to wave them off. "It's like this: there's good news and there's bad news."

"Oh no!" Mary Margaret clasped her hands. "Bad news first, then. Better to let it out."

Regina sighed dramatically, drawing the moment out as long as she could. "The bad news is, I can't go on that end of semester trip to Risa with you guys."

"Aww!" Mary Margaret pouted. "You need to get out more, Regina. We'll have to do something tonight to make up for it!"

"Hold on Blanchard, she said she had good news too," Robin reminded her. "Go on, then. Don't leave us in suspense. My poor heart can't take it." He pressed a hand to his chest to emphasize the point. He was always doing playful things like that.

Regina's face broke into a radiant smile. "I can't go to Risa because I'm starting my first assignment next week!"

“Oh my gosh!” Mary Margaret squealed and bounded over to hug Regina. Regina stiffened in her embrace – she trusted hugs about as much as she trusted handshakes – but she decided to let Mary Margaret have this one. 

“Congratulations,” Robin added. He didn’t make a move to hug her but Mary Margaret pulled him over and soon the three of them were twisted up in an ungainly group hug. “We must do something to celebrate.”

“Yes!” Mary Margaret agreed. “We’re going out for dinner and drinks! And you can tell us about your assignment. I want all the gory details!”

But once they got to the campus nightclub, details were the last thing on Mary Margaret’s mind. The end of the semester meant that the usually studious cadets were overdue for some frivolity. Mary Margaret abandoned Regina and Robin to dance with her boyfriend, leaving Robin to ask the awkward questions.

“So… starship or starbase?” he asked after they were both sitting at the bar with drinks in hand.

“Starship,” she said. “USS Aurora, under Captain Maleficent Drake.”

Robin was impressed. “Bloody hell, Regina. That’s brilliant. Captain Drake is a legend on my homeworld.”

“Oh?” She knew Captain Drake was highly respected, but her personnel file didn’t say much of her origins. “You’re both from Ademaru, right?”

“Technically yes. But we lived apart. I lived in an outlying village and she lived in Misthaven – the capital city,” he elaborated. “Our governor was corrupt. He siphoned resources from the common people and kept them for himself. She exposed him. She’s was only 20 years old at the time, on leave from the Academy for a family emergency…” he trailed off, frowning slightly. “The people of Ademaru are storytellers. There’s a lot of legends about her, but I can’t say for certain which ones are true. Only that she’s fierce and formidable, not unlike yourself.”

Oh. He was flirting with her again. He hadn't tried that since...

The song changed from an up tempo old Earth pop song to a slower Risian ballad. Robin took the plunge. "Would you care to dance, Cadet Mills?"

Regina hesitated. After four years of being friends with Robin Locksley, he'd never made any attempt at trying to be more than friends after she'd turned him down. He'd been respectful. And while she hadn't been interested at the time, in the last year or so, something had changed. He'd been there for her in some of her darkest moments - the death of her mother; her falling out with Admiral Gold - and there had been times when she wondered if she'd pushed him away too quickly. You had your chance four years ago, she reminded herself. He doesn't see you that way anymore. You're just his friend. He's only asking you to dance because no one else has. "Careful," she warned as she let him escort her to the dance floor. "I'll be Ensign Mills soon. I'll outrank you."

He smiled as he spun her around and pulled her into his arms. "I always knew you'd outrank me someday, Regina."

She settled her hands on his shoulders and swayed to the beat. There was something about the sudden closeness to his body and the warm press of his hand against the small of her back that she liked more than she cared to admit. Take it easy Mills, she scolded herself. You're about to leave Earth. You're not going to see him for a long time. The realization sobered her up. There's no point getting caught up in what ifs now. If we were assigned to the same ship, it might be different. You had your chance. You walked away. "I'm sure you'll get a great assignment too," she mumbled, unable to look him in the eye.

"I hope so," he said. "I don't suppose you could put in a good word for me with Captain Drake?" His voice was light and teasing but Regina felt her heart drop. Oh no. What if he still likes me after all this time? He must have seen the uncertainty in her eyes because he was quick to take it back. "I didn't mean..."

"It's fine," she said. But it wasn't fine. This was supposed to be a happy night. This is everything I've been working toward for the last four years. I just didn't think it would hurt this much to say goodbye to my friends. To say goodbye to him... "I think it just hit me," she murmured. "I could be away from Earth and Betazed for years. I don't know when we'll see each other again..."

"Oh Regina." He stopped dancing and leaned close to whisper in her ear. "You're one of my best friends. I'm not going to lose touch with you just because we'll be on different starships. That's what subspace messages are for."

She laughed, despite being on the verge of tears. "Well, of course." They started dancing again, swaying more slowly in each other's arms. "I just meant... it'll be hard to leave this place. The Academy's been my home for the last four years. And you were there for me during some really tough times and I don't know if I ever thanked you enough..."

"You didn't need to," he said. "That's what friends are for." 

The song ended and they went back to the bar. "Another drink?" he offered.

"Sure."

Robin signaled the android bartender and turned his attention back to her. "When do you ship out?"

This was the hardest part. She waited for her drink and took a generous sip of it before continuing. She wasn’t much of a drinker, so the effect of the alcohol hitting her bloodstream was almost immediate."Two days from now," she said softly. "They want be on the Aurora right away."

Robin looked pained. "That soon? Crikey."

"I know. I'm really pissed I don't get to go to Risa. I've heard it's one of the most luxurious planets in the quadrant."

But Robin had a plan. "Perhaps we can still go. You'll be eligible to take shore leave after your first six months. Maybe I can convince the others to postpone our trip until you can come with us."

Regina shook her head. "No way. You guys have been planning your vacation to Risa for months now. Killian would never forgive you if you backed out now. And David and Mary Margaret already have their couples' massage booked. You need to go," she insisted, "and you need to have twice as much fun to make up for me not being there."

Robin held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, I get the point." He was grinning again, no doubt thinking of all the pleasures the infamous vacation planet had to offer. "I'll go with the group this time, future Ensign Mills. But as soon as we can arrange it, we're taking our next shore leave together."

She downed the rest of her drink and let the haze of intoxication carry her away. “I’m really going to miss you, Locksley.”

“Aww.” He carefully removed the empty glass from her clenched hand. “Look at you, Mills. You’re blushing.”

“I am not,” she mumbled. Oh hell. Did I just say something embarrassing? He wasn’t supposed to know how much I care. She made a move to stand up but her knees buckled and she had to grab the ledge of the bar for support. 

“Steady on,” Robin said. “I’m cutting you off. Poor wee thing, can’t even hold her drinks.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, but he took the time to make sure she got back to her dormitory anyway. 

“Shore leave,” he reminded her. “I’m holding you to that promise, Regina.”

“I’ll be there.”

Risa  
7 years ago, 2250

 

The third time Robin Locksley got away from Regina Mills was on that ill-fated shore leave to Risa. It didn't happen as soon as anyone in their circle of friends hoped it would. Regina's closest friends from the Academy all ended up on different ships and starbases, so nearly a year had passed before they were able to meet up again.

A lot can happen in a year. Regina was able to work her way into Captain Drake's good graces and establish herself in the Aurora's astrometrics division. Her superior officer, Lieutenant Jefferson, was already recommending her for a promotion. She'd even made a few new friends on the ship: Ensign Will Scarlet, the shuttlecraft technician, and Ensign Daniel Colter, an engineer who worked in the transporter room. But she didn't forget her old friends. She kept up regular subspace messaging with Robin, Mary Margaret and all of the Academy gang. And now she'd be seeing them all again she'd had an entire year to come to terms with her feelings for Robin Locksley.

Regina Mills did not fall in love easily. The only time she'd come even remotely close to being in love was as a teenager back home on Betazed with Guinevere, the shy girl who'd asked her to the graduation dance. But it hadn't lasted. Guinevere had gone to the University of Betazed and Regina had gone to the Academy. That was always the problem. Regina was always moving forward and that meant leaving people behind. She didn't want to leave Robin behind again. Not until she found out if he still had feelings for her too.

The sight of him waiting for her at the spaceport made her heart leap. She'd always thought him cute in a dorky sort of way with his blue eyes and goofy smile, but the first thought that popped into her head as he rushed to greet her was, "holy shit, Robin got hot. I'm in big trouble."

She had little time to dwell on it. The rest of the Academy gang was upon them and before she could blink, they were lounging poolside at the resort. They scarcely had a moment alone as the days went by - either Mary Margaret was regaling Regina with tales of her adventures on Starbase 21 or Killian was telling everyone tales of his narrow escape from smugglers on an away mission in Orion territory. But one night at the bar, Regina finally managed to catch him alone.

"You look good," she said, eyeing the few extra pounds of muscle he'd put on. "You must be logging serious hours in the gym on your ship."

Robin grinned. "We security officers have to be in tip top shape. But I must say, you look rather lovely yourself, Regina." He was already two drinks in and in the mood for fun. "Shall we have another dance or would you like to take a walk along the beach?"

"A walk would be nice." It'll be easier to talk, she added to herself. "How's life on the Shenzhou treating you?" she asked once they were outside.

"So far, so good," he reported. "Captain Georgiou is an impressive lady. But enough about me. How are things going for you?"

She couldn't help bragging a little. "I might be up for a promotion soon."

"Already?" He gave her shoulder a playful nudge. "So, I'll be calling you Lieutenant next time we meet face to face?"

"Lieutenant junior grade," she corrected him, "but yes."

"And how is the intrepid Captain Drake?"

It was her turn to grin. "Let's just say she lives up to her fearsome reputation."

The beach was still crowded despite the lateness of the hour. Regina and Robin stayed along the shoreline, letting the tide wash up against their bare feet as they strolled. "All that hard work," Robin continued, "must not leave a lot of time for fun."

"I have fun," she protested. "I've even made a few friends." 

He seemed to approve. "That's good," he said, even though his voice hitched in his throat. "I'm glad you're not working yourself to the bone out there. There's nothing wrong with having a little fun every now at then." He tilted her head toward her to whisper those last few words in her ear.

"Is that an invitation?" She caught his eye and held it, stopping them both in their tracks. 

Robin cleared his throat, suddenly turning nervous. "Er... whatever did you have in mind?"

"Let's go swimming," she suggested. It was the easiest thing to say with the water so close at hand. She didn’t even wait for a response before slipping out of her coverup and racing for the waves. Robin splashed along in her wake until they were chest deep in the gentle ebb of the low tide. “See?” she said. “I can have fun.” To prove her point, she moved in closer, keeping her eyes fixed on his. A stronger wave buffeted them, pushing her body closer to his, making her grab his shoulder for support. 

“Easy there,” he said, catching her waist to anchor her. “A tiny thing like you might get swept away.”

“I am not tiny!” she protested, but she couldn’t help laughing. “We can’t all be muscly like you,” she added. She couldn’t help but let her gaze skim admiringly over his form. 

A confused look crossed his face. “Regina, are you flirting with me?” 

“Maybe. Just a little.” She moved closer, hoping he would take the hint. Why wasn’t he taking the hint? She resisted the urge to probe his emotions but she could tell something wasn’t right.  
“I’m kind of seeing someone,” he said at last and this time she couldn’t help it. The wave of emotions rolling off him was too strong. Regret, regret, regret. Nothing but regret.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. I just thought…” You thought what exactly? She scolded herself. You really thought he was still holding a candle for you all these years? Get real, Regina. You told him you only wanted to be friends and that’s what you got. 

“Bloody hell.” He shook his head sadly and let go of her waist. “You and I have the worst timing in the quadrant.”

“I’ll say.” She wanted to say something more. To tell him how she really felt. But it didn’t feel right. Not like this. “I’ll see you later,” she said. She turned and waded back to shore. Hot tears assaulted her eyes but she refused to turn around, not even when he called after her. “At least let me walk you back to the hotel,” he was saying. 

“It’s fine,” she called over her shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She didn’t know a heart could feel so full: so full what could have been if she’d taken this chance a few years ago. If she’d been brave enough to tell him how she really felt. So full of what could be if she took a chance and tried to talk to him. Could she take this risk? She went to meet him at the bar the next night but she found herself frozen in the doorway. Could she walk through the door and join him? Or was it safer to stay on the path she’d always planned for herself? It didn’t feel right. Maybe this was a sign. A sign that this wasn’t meant for her. That she could either have love or have the career she’d always dreamed of. She cursed the fates for making her choose. Her heart flopped over in her chest, screaming at her to go inside. But her head reined her in, keeping her from moving. Then came the panic. The overwhelming echo of her heart pounding in her ears and her nerves pulsing through every cell in her body. For once she couldn’t sense anyone else’s emotions. She was too busy being overwhelmed by her own. And when Regina Mills got emotionally overwhelmed, there was only one thing for her to do:

Run.


	3. Part 3: The Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work contains mild spoilers for the first season of Discovery. This story was written for the Outlaw Queen Prompt Party 2018, based on prompt #103 (OQ in a Star Trek or Stargate setting) and prompt #3 (Regina moved on, Robin comes back)

Ademaru  
1 year ago, 2256

The fourth time Robin Locksley got away from Regina Mills was during the mission to Ademaru, almost seven years after the trip to Risa. In those seven years, Regina had fully committed herself to her career. She tried dating a few times but nothing meaningful ever panned out. The closest she came was with Daniel, but she lost him in a transporter accident. Robin’s life took a different turn: he eventually married the girl he’d been seeing and had a child, but the relationship ended in divorce. Having a family had slowed down his movement up the ranks and he ended up taking a leave of absence from Starfleet to raise his son alone until the boy was old enough to start school. That was how he came to be on Ademaru when the Klingons attacked.

The first thing Commander Mills did upon her arrival at Ademaru was put her diplomat hat on. The Klingons had retreated after the initial bombardment and she wanted to know why. “I’ve been briefed on your defensive capabilities and frankly I’m surprised you’re all still here. What did you fire at them?” she asked the head engineer at the capital city of Misthaven. 

The engineer gave her a sinister smile. “We’ve been working on developing some new weapons, Commander. They’re still in the prototype stage, so you wouldn’t know about them.”

“They’re not exactly Starfleet issue,” the engineer’s apprentice, a young woman named Mulan elaborated. “But you’re right. They would have wiped us out if we hadn’t taken action. We had to use the resources at our disposal.”

She detected no ill will from either of them but she still wanted to know more. “I’ll have to see your specs, of course. Starfleet will want to do a full analysis once the danger has passed.”

“I’ll prepare a report,” Mulan promised.

“And I’ll need to debrief the person who gave the order to fire,” Commander Mills continued. 

Someone close by cleared their throat, causing everyone to look up. Mulan and the engineer dropped back into Regina’s peripheral vision as Robin Locksley stepped into her line of sight for the first time in seven years. “I believe I’m the one you’re looking for, commander. Lieutenant Robin Locksley, at your service."

The walk back to the governor’s office was stiff and silent. Misthaven’s governor had been killed in the attack, leaving Robin as the city’s interim leader. He didn’t say a word to her until the door to the messy office was firmly shut. “Regina Mills.” He leaned against his desk, looking her over. “It’s damn good to see you after all this time. I only wish the circumstances weren’t so dire.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that. She hadn’t expected him to be happy to see her. And he wasn’t, at least not exactly. He didn’t offer her one of his usual easy smiles or a polite incline of his head. But he didn’t seem upset either. “Why don’t you tell me about these prototype weapons,” she said at last, her tablet poised to take notes.

He smiled then, but it was a vacant gesture that didn’t reach his careworn eyes. “Down to business, I see.” But he couldn’t resist adding, “you cut your hair.”

She touched her hair self-consciously. She’d been wearing it shorter for three years now, in an attempt to look more mature and professional. “And you’ve grown a beard.” We both look older, she added to herself. We grew up and we grew away from each other. And I suppose it was my doing. They had kept up contact for some time after the trip to Risa, but over time the messages had grown shorter and less frequent until they stopped altogether. But Mary Margaret, who kept up with everyone from their Academy days, had kept her supplied with gossip. No harm in adding a bit of humanity to the proceedings before getting down to the business at hand. “I heard you have a little one now,” she said. “That’s a big change.”

He smiled properly this time and she noticed the way the corners of his eyes crinkled ever so slightly. “Hold on.” He retreated behind his desk and pulled open a drawer. She felt a pang in the vicinity of her heart. How had she let so much time slip away over something that seemed so petty now? We were friends once, before I let my feelings get in the way. The least I can do is try to be a friend to him now. Friends share. They stay engaged. She watched him rummage around until he found what he was looking for: holographic photo of a small boy with dimpled cheeks and a head of curly dark hair. “This is Roland,” he told her as he set the photo frame in her hands. “He just had his fourth birthday.”

“Oohhh,” Regina cooed and her heart panged again. “What a sweetheart. He’s got your smile.” She handed the photo back. “I heard about your divorce,” she added uncertainly. “I’m sorry I never got a chance to meet Marian.”

Robin was wistful. “You would have liked her. But what about you? Anyone special in your life?”

She faltered. I guess he isn’t as entrenched in the Academy gossip loop as I am, she realized. Otherwise he would have heard about Daniel. “I was seeing someone a few years ago, but… he was killed in a freak transporter accident.”

Robin cursed under his breath. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, bowing his head. “I had no idea.”

Regina did her best to shrug it off. It still hurt sometimes – the vacant space in her heart where Daniel had once lived. Her heart was full of vacant spaces: a space for Daniel, a space for her parents, a space for Robin. It seemed her heart was more space than anything else. “It happened around the same time as your divorce, so I can’t blame you for having other things on your mind,” she said. “But we really should get on with this investigation…”

“Indeed,” he agreed, grateful for the change in topic. “The prototypes were developed using native grown crystals as an alternative power source. These crystals have been growing in the mountain ranges of our northern continent since before the planet was colonized, but we didn’t know the full extent of their power until some of our scientists got down there and started experimenting.” He called up some charts on his tablet for her to look at. “Our leading experts reckon we could use this stuff to power the entire planet if we took the time to mine and refine it,” he continued. “But we can’t very well do that when we’re stuck in the middle of a warzone.”

“And if these crystals are as powerful as you say, they could become a valuable commodity,” Regina realized. Under better circumstances she would have been overjoyed by such a significant scientific find. But in the middle of a war, the crystals of Ademaru could be dangerous too. “If the Klingons knew about this…”

The realization sobered both of them, casting a pall over the proceedings. “That’s why we haven’t told the Federation yet,” Robin explained. “We didn’t dare risk mentioning it over subspace communications. The attack damaged our communications array and we think the Klingons might have been able to hack into our messages.”

“They can’t find out about this,” Regina declared. “We have to do whatever it takes to ensure that this knowledge doesn’t fall into the hands of our enemies.”

“But we can’t guarantee that,” he said sadly. “You’ll have to report your findings at some point. I know you, Regina. Your loyalty to Starfleet will always come first.”

He didn’t mean his words to hurt, but she felt stung. Is that all he sees in me? The dutiful officer who will do anything for the Federation, even if it means throwing my friends under the bus? Well, what did you expect, she scolded herself. You never gave him a reason to see anything else. “You’re fortunate then that my loyalty to Starfleet is the only thing that will keep this planet safe,” she retorted. “And you’re going to help me. Gather your best scientists and engineers for a top-secret meeting. We’re going to the northern continent and we’re going to make sure the Klingons never uncover this secret.”

Commander Mills set her plan in motion at the meeting. In order to prevent the Klingons from discovering the crystals, they had to make it look like there was nothing of value on the planet. “In order to do that, we have to set up a planet-wide dampening field and falsify the sensor data. Let them think they decimated the planet in their attack. If they think there’s nothing of value here, they’ll move on to a more desirable target.”

The assembled engineers and scientists all began to talk at once to denounce the impossibility of her plan. Robin was the only one who chimed in with support. “It’s risky, but it’s doable. And if the Klingons were successful in their hijacking of our communications array, we can plant false data there too.”

“It could work,” one of the engineers agreed grudgingly. “But we’ll need someone to go to the crystal caves to set up the dampening field.”

Regina took control again. “That’s where I come in. I will be commanding the mission to the caves myself.”

“Is that safe?” Mulan worried. “No offence commander, but you’re not a native of this world and the caves can be treacherous.”

Regina had expected resistance. But she was determined. “I’ll need the best people to accompany me. I’ve read over all your research and I’d like you to be on my team.” Mulan blushed and stammered her thanks. “I will also require your expertise, Lieutenant Locksley,” she added. “I trust you still know how to pilot a shuttle?”

He smiled again, calling to mind their Academy days once again. “It would be my honour, commander.”

The Crystal Caves  
1 year ago, 2256

Regina could not stop staring at the crystals.

It was fitting, for they were the last thing she would ever see.

“Damn it, Regina. Stay with me.” Robin was by her side, scanning her in vain with a medical tricorder. “The team will reach us in time and they’ll be able to take you out of here.”

She laughed in spite of herself. “Ever the optimist.” Her eyes fell shut.

“No!” Robin wanted to shake her but he feared injuring her more. “Just a few more minutes, Regina. The rescue crew is on their way.”

The mission to the crystal caves had started off well enough. Regina and the team of scientists were able to run their scans and get the data they needed to mask the energy signature of the crystals. The entire enterprise was running smoothly, so naturally the laws of fate had to defy her once again. Just as the team was packing up their gear and preparing to depart, one of the generators malfunctioned. A crystal stalactite broke from the ceiling and came crashing down on the group, causing everyone to panic and scatter. Regina looked up just in time to see Robin was directly in the path of danger. "Look out!" she cried, racing forward to shove him out of the way. Robin went sprawling and Regina lost her footing, falling right into the path of the oncoming crystal shard. Her head slammed into the stone floor of the cavern and the crystal embedded itself in her lower leg, pinning her to the earth. Robin let out a cry and raced over to her. “Call the medic!” he hollered, as the rest of the team raced to the cave entrance. “You saved my life," he breathed. "You madwoman. You could have been killed!"

"Better me than you," she mumbled.

Robin winced. "Don't talk like that." He flagged down one of the scientists. "Commander Mills is hurt. Her leg is pinned and she hit her head. Tell them to get ready for an emergency transport!”

Regina was dazed but she managed to hold up a hand to stop him. “You can’t transport me,” she rasped. “The Klingons might pick up the signal.”

“Damn the Klingons!” he barked as he leaned over her. “I’m not leaving you here.”

"My head hurts." She tried to sit up but her vision doubled. Robin eased her back to the ground, ripping off his uniform jacket to create a makeshift pillow for her head. She gripped his arm, her vision dazzled by the sparkling crystals overhead. Was it just her muddled brain or were the glowing brighter than before? Robin swiped at her cheek and her vision cleared. Oh, she realized. I was crying. “You have to leave me,” she rasped, using the last of her strength to push him away. “You can’t risk the mission for one person. Not when there’s a whole planet to save.”

“Mission be damned, I’m not leaving you!” It would take the team fifteen minutes to get back to the landing site to contact the medic and arrange for a transport, so Robin tried to patch her up as best as he could on his own. He didn’t dare attempt to remove the stalactite, but he gave her a hypo for the shock. But when he scanned her again, his stomach sank. Her heartrate was slowing and her brain activity was jumbled. “I think you have a concussion,” he murmured. “We won’t be able to do anything about that until the medic gets here.”

She laughed mirthlessly. The painkillers were kicking in, making her delirious. “Now do you regret not taking that extra nursing course at the Academy?” she mumbled as she blinked through her confused tears. 

Robin only looked more pained. “There are a great many things I regret, Regina.”

She laughed again. It hurt this time. “Like what?”

“Like not staying in touch with you after I got married.”

She scoffed. That hurt too. “I was the one who stopped answering your subspace messages.”

“But I could have kept sending them. I should have,” he insisted. “But after Roland was born… it was hard to stay in contact with my old Academy friends who didn’t have children yet. Because they didn’t understand what it meant to have someone become your entire world like that. At least not until David and Mary Margaret had little Neal. We reconnected after that.”

Regina smiled at the memory of Neal Nolan, her godson. “He’s such a clever baby. He started talking very young, you know. He’s only two and he’s hasn’t stopped talking since. His parents think he’s going to be a prodigy.”

She started to slip toward unconsciousness again. The crystals twinkled above her, casting their hues over her prone form, illuminating her in their colourful glow. Blue, purple and pink, over and over again. Robin was crying now too, begging her to stay awake long enough for the medics to arrive. “Please Regina.” He stroked her cheek, this time to wipe away his own falling tears from her skin. “I lost you once before. I’m not losing you again.”

That brought her back. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she slurred. “I’m already lost.”

“No.” He shook his head. “I won’t accept that.”

“You have to.” She reached out blindly, her fingers making shaky contact with his shoulder. “You have to let me go. This is a no-win scenario, Lieutenant Locksley. Don’t make me order you.” Her limp hand fell back to her side.

“You’re pulling rank on me? That’s not going to work. You’re not my commanding officer.”

“I still outrank you.”

“I’m on leave from Starfleet,” he said. “And I don’t believe in no-win scenarios. This is what’s going to happen. In a few minutes, the evac team will be here with a stretcher to take you back to the shuttle. All you have to do is stay awake until they get here. No transporter required. Can you do that?”

“Now you’re giving me orders? Yes sir.” 

He let out a sigh of exasperation. “I see your sarcasm hasn’t suffered.” She fell quiet again and he slid closer to her, hoping his presence would comfort her until the rescue team arrived. “And I know just what to do to pass the time: I’m going to tell you a story.”

“A story?” she repeated. What now?

“The story of the outlaw and the warrior queen. Do you know it?”

It didn’t ring a bell. Then again, her mind was too muddled for any kind of coherent thought. “Is that one of your traditional stories?”

A quiet laugh. “Something like that. Once upon a time, there was a girl who was destined from birth to be a great leader. She left her home in a distant kingdom to seek her fortune in the great wide somewhere. Along the way she met many people: a prince and princess who were just and good. A cunning wordsmith who tried to lure her from the path of goodness. A fierce dragon who steered her back to the right path. A pirate. A girl in the form of a swan. And finally, an outsider like herself. An outlaw. She didn’t trust him at first, but soon they became the best of friends.”

Hmm. The story sounded familiar somehow. “What happened?”

“They lost sight of each other for a long time,” Robin went on. “For he had his own battles to fight and she had her own demons to conquer. But they found each other again, many years later. When the time was right. And together, they saved the kingdom from certain destruction.”

He was quiet for a minute as his words washed over her. There was something about the story that was bothering her, but in her weakened state, she couldn’t put it in words. “Is that the end of the story?”

“No,” he whispered. 

A voice called out to them in the dark and a searchlight flashed. The rescue team had arrived at last. “Over here!” Robin called. “Please hurry!”

She still didn’t understand. “Then how does it end?”

Robin stepped back to give the medic room. They had Regina, stalactite and all, braced and loaded onto the stretcher before he could respond. “I’m not sure how it ends yet,” he said as she lapsed into unconsciousness once more. “But I hope they live happily ever after.”


	4. Part 4: The Future

Starfleet Headquarters  
1 year ago, 2256

She saw him in person one more time after that in the hospital facility back at Misthaven. He waited for hours while the doctors performed the intricate surgery to remove the crystal fragment from her leg and repair her concussion. They finally let him see her after she recovered and was coming out of her medically induced coma. She was still delirious from the pain meds and though she had only a few fragments of memory of the entire ordeal, Robin reassured her that the mission was a success.

“The Klingons took the bait,” he reported. “They found the falsified data in the communications array. They think our planet is a barren wasteland not even worth colonizing.”

“Good,” she murmured. He paused, suddenly becoming very interested in the wall behind her hospital bed. Even in her weakened state, her senses were coming back to her and she could tell his emotions were conflicted. “Is there something else?”

He nodded. “The Aurora’s on it’s way to pick you up.”

“The Aurora?” she repeated. “Not the Discovery? Wow. I guess Captain Lorca still doesn't want me around. He must be afraid of empaths."

She didn’t remember what he said next. She didn’t even learn until a few weeks later than the Discovery had disappeared. This revelation left her with yet another hollow place in her heart. For all her distrust of Captain Lorca, the ship and its crew deserved a better fate than to vanish without a trace. She was back on Earth with Admiral Drake when she got the news and the first thing she did was send Robin a message. 

“No one knows what happened,” he reported. “The ship was there one minute and gone the next. Some debris was found in their last known location but the salvage crew couldn’t make head nor tails of it.”

“And to think I could have been on that ship. But those poor officers… did you ever meet Saru when we were at the Academy?”

One thing about subspace messages was that she couldn’t read emotions over great distances. She had to rely on her other senses to guess what Robin was thinking. His furled brow told her he was struggling to remember. “Saru… he was that lanky Kelpien bloke? He was in fourth year when we were in first?”

Regina nodded. “That’s the one. He is, or rather was, the first officer of the Discovery. He was the only one I knew, aside from the one time I met the captain.”

“Hmm.” Robin looked unsettled by the entire discussion. Everyone was unsettled these days. The war with the Klingons was not going well. Ademaru had been spared, but the Klingons were edging closer and closer to Federation space with every passing week. “I’m glad we’re talking again, Regina. Maybe some day when this wretched war is over, I’ll see you again.”

“I hope so,” she said. If we all survive, she added to herself. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for staying with me in the crystal cave.”

A small smile crept onto his face. “I don't think I ever thanked you for saving my life. That’s what friends do, Regina. I want to be your friend again, if you’ll still let me.”

The space in her heart threatened to flood with unspoken truths. A part of her still loved him after all this time. A part of her still clung to the faint hope that he might feel the same way. “Of course I still want to be your friend, you ridiculous man.” She rolled her eyes at him. “And when we see each other face to face again, you have to tell me the end of that story.”

She didn’t need to be empathic to sense his embarrassment. The sudden reddening of his cheeks said it all. “Oh. I was hoping you’d forgotten about that.”

“The story I can remember. But everything after that was a blur.” 

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months and still the Klingon-Federation war waged on. Regina waged a war of her own. Her superiors put her on medical leave until her brain healed completely, leaving her idle for the first time in years. She tried to piece together the journey out of the caves. Sometimes she got a vague flash of the shuttle as it flew back to Misthaven. Of the medic hovering over her while Robin sat beside her, holding her hand. “Don’t speak,” he was saying, his voice low and gentle. “Whatever it is, you can tell me later.”

But what had she said? She couldn’t remember. She tried to get a neurosurgeon at Starfleet medical to do another brain scan but resources were stretched thin due to the war effort and her case was pushed to low priority. It wasn’t important in the grand scheme of things, she supposed. 

Finally, she was permitted to go back to work. She stayed at Starfleet headquarters, working in close proximity to admirals Drake and Cornwell. She was in the sensor lab when the news of the Discovery’s sudden reappearance came in. From there the war kicked into warp speed. After a top-secret mission to the Klingon homeworld, the details of which were kept under wraps, the war came to an abrupt end. Regina was called into Admiral Cornwell’s office bright and early one morning for another top-secret meeting.

“At ease commander,” the admiral said when Regina entered. The war had taken its toll on Cornwell. She seemed older than she had a few short months ago when Regina first met her and after asking around, Regina found out why. She’d known Captain Lorca in her Academy days and now he was gone. Regina felt that pang in her heart again. She knew what it was like to lose people. But then the admiral was speaking again, drawing her out of her musings. “It’s time to discuss your next assignment, Commander Mills. But first I need to debrief you about the nature of the Discovery’s return…”

Regina walked out of that meeting with her mind reeling. The admiral had divulged just enough information about the Discovery and its secret missions that would enable her to take command as the ship’s new captain. There was more that the admiral had held back – some of it too classified to speak of – but Regina was confident she could be the captain the ship needed. 

Federation Embassy on Vulcan  
Present Day, 2257

And now here she was: alone in her room on Vulcan, staring at the crew manifest on her computer screen. Admiral Cornwell had offered her one last piece of advice before promoting her and she couldn’t stop thinking about it now. “I’m going to tell you something I wish someone had told me before I took my first command: you’re a captain now, but don’t let that get in the way of living your life.” Regina hadn’t known what to make of this incredible pronouncement. But now, looking at the Discovery crew manifest, something clicked. “Computer, open a subspace channel to Ademaru,” she ordered. “Robin Locksley’s private comm.”

The computer hummed to life and a second later Robin was smiling back at her from the screen. “Hello Regina. It’s been a while.”

“It has.” All it took was one smile from him for her heart to leap in her chest. She leaned closer to the screen to get a better look at him, noting the change right away. “Are you wearing a Starfleet uniform again?”

He grinned. “And I got a promotion too. Lieutenant Commander Robin Locksley at your service, Captain Mills.”

“Congratulations,” she said. “Do you know where they’re sending you?”

“They’re stationing me on the new Starbase 1,” he reported. “I’m going to be in charge of security and their official liaison officer. And there’s a good school for Roland to attend.”

“Sounds promising. Once I take command of the Discovery, I’m scheduling our first shore leave on your starbase.”

Robin was intrigued. “Oh? Out of all the better starbases and resorts, you’d choose mine? I should warn you: we're still undergoing repairs out here. The Klingons hit us pretty hard."

A hesitant smile crept its way onto her face. “I’m the captain now. I think after all the adventures this crew has already had, they might enjoy shore leave someplace closer to home. And truth be told, I wouldn’t mind the company. You did promise we’d meet again and you’d tell me the end of that story.”

“And I shall,” he promised. “Name the time and the place, Captain Mills. I will be ready to receive you and your intrepid crew.”

And maybe, she added to herself, if he won’t tell me the end of that story, I’ll write it for him.

Starbase 1  
2258, six months later

The new Starbase 1, like many Federation outposts, had recreational facilities in addition to the standard amenities. It was a fitting omen that Robin asked to meet her in the space station's bar. He couldn't have known of how she'd almost joined him at the bar all those years ago on Risa. But Regina was superstitious. If the universe was giving her a second chance to sit with him in a bar, there had to be a reason for it. 

She lingered in the doorway again, casting her keen eyes around the room before entering. A few of her officers were scattered about the room, enjoying their much-needed leisure time after six months in space and countless dangerous missions. Commander Burnham and Ensign Tilly were sitting at a table with Lieutenant Scamander, the ship's new xenozoologist. In a distant corner, Lieutenants Detmer and Owosekun were carousing with their fellow bridge officer Lieutenant Rhys. And sure enough, Robin was sitting alone at the bar with his back to her. A different time and place, but almost the same set up. 

"Hello captain," Lieutenant Goldstein, another one of the new recruits, said as she passed by on her way to join the others. Goldstein was one of Captain Mills's most promising young officers. Filling in for the ship's former security chief, Regina had taken a particular interest in Goldstein after learning that the young woman was half-Betazoid. I did my job, she realized. I was the pioneer my people needed to make their mark on Starfleet. Goldstein won’t be the first: I imagine there will be Betazoids and half-Betazoids in Starfleet for decades to come. Regina watched as Goldstein slid into place between Tilly and Scamander and her heart panged again. Enough delays. It was time to see him.

As she made her way through the crowded space she kept a wary eye on him. His posture straightened as if he could sense her approach and he was already spinning around on his barstool to wave her over. No turning back now. "Quite the station you have here," she said as she perched on the stroll beside his. "My officers are already enjoying their shore leave."

"I'm glad to hear it." He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Tell is something: is that Tamara from the Academy over there, or is it Michael Burnham?" He nodded toward Commander Burnham. "They look so much alike. How's that working out for you?"

The memory of Tamara, the rival cadet who'd locked Regina in the chem lab overnight during second year, dredged itself up from a darker corner of her mind. "Heavens no. That’s Burnham, not Tamara.”

Robin breathed a sigh of relief. "I must say, I'm relieved. When I first met her on the Shenzhou, it was rather unsettling.”

Regina had been unsettled by it too when she first met Burnham. "Fortunately, their personalities are quite different. Burnham’s been a solid officer. I’ve grown quite fond of her.”

"They say everyone has a twin somewhere in the world," he continued. "There was a woman who came through the station about a month ago who bore a striking resemblance to our old friend Commander Swan. I was rather put out when I spoke to her and she didn't recognize me." He shook his head, looking embarrassed. "Turns out she was a xenobiologist named Winona Kirk and she has a son who’s currently attending Starfleet Academy."

"Kirk," Regina repeated. The name had weight to it, as if it belonged to someone born to a great destiny. But Regina had other things on her mind and she hurried to change the subject. "What have you been up to since your big promotion?"

Robin took a thoughtful sip of his drink before responding. "No complaints from me. Life on a starbase is exactly what I needed after the war. It's not as exciting as being on a starship, but I get to meet a lot of interesting folks and Roland already has a lot of friends at school."

"Sounds like the perfect fit for you," she said. "I like to think I've found my place on the Discovery too. I’m finally in a place where I can give something back to Starfleet for all it’s given me. I’m even sponsoring a young cadet who lost his parents during the war for early admission to the Academy.”

“That’s wonderful,” he said. “I’ve heard good things about the early admissions initiative. Does this cadet have a name?”

She couldn’t keep from smiling. “Would you believe his last name is Mills? Henry Mills.”

That made Robin smile too. “What were the odds? Sounds like it was meant to be.”

“I thought so too.” She signaled the bartender to bring her a drink. “There's just one thing that's been bothering me,” she continued once a glass of whiskey materialized by her side.

"Oh?" He was intrigued, pushing his drink away to focus solely on her. His hand rested on the bar's surface and it took all the self control she possessed not to reach for it. Not yet. 

"I need you to tell me what I was trying to say to you on the shuttle," she said at last. "After we escaped the crystal cave."

"Ah." A look of regret crossed his face. "The thing is, I'm not sure what you were trying to say. You were a little out of it."

"I was afraid of that." Maybe she would have to accept that there were some things she could never know. “I was also afraid that I'd blurted out some declaration of my undying love for you and that you were too polite to hurt a dying woman's feelings."

Robin chuckled. "Don't tease me, Regina. My poor heart couldn't take it." He was still using that line after all these years. And was that a glimmer of hope in his eye? 

"Let's go for a walk," she suggested. "It's a little crowded in here."

He bowed. "As my captain wishes."

"Ha, ha," she muttered as they walked out of the bar. "I'm not your captain."

They strolled along the main promenade of the starbase, keeping a watchful eye on the ships coming and going through the wide picture windows. Only when they were out of earshot of any passing personnel did Regina dare speak again. "I have a theory I've been working on," she said conspiratorially.

He smiled. "I always enjoyed your theories back at the Academy - especially when I could prove them wrong."

"It's about the story you told me: the tale of the warrior queen and the outlaw."

Robin faltered in his step.

"I've had this theory for a while, but it wasn't until I spoke to a young ensign by the name of Ruby Lucas while I was on Vulcan waiting for the Discovery to pick me up. You see, Ensign Lucas is from Ademaru and she'd never heard of this tale. I made a search of the database and I found no references to such a tale, though I did find some other interesting folktales from Ademaru. The one about Admiral Drake, the Dragon of Misthaven, was quite diverting. There was also one about a certain archer who shall remain nameless. But the warrior queen and the outlaw… that one stuck with me."

Robin cleared his throat. "Go on."

"I hypothesize that the tale of the warrior queen and the outlaw does not exist. That it was an invention by Lieutenant Robin Locksley to ease the mind of a friend in mortal peril. But the story had one consequence that Lieutenant Locksley did not anticipate."

Robin moved closer, unable to keep his eyes off her. "And what was that consequence?"

"That the story was not a story at all, but a fictionalized account of our relationship. And an unintentional declaration of your true feelings." There, she'd said it. The truth was out at last. Framed by the starscape outside the window and the twin beating of their nervous, hopeful hearts. 

"For once," he said, after a moment of reflection, "I have no desire to disprove your hypothesis." His hand found hers and when their fingers laced together it felt like coming home.

Her heart leapt again and this time she had to keep herself from throwing her arms around him. "So it's true. You still have feelings for me after all this time?"

He took her other hand too, staring into her eyes all the while. "God help me, yes." 

"And what," she murmured, stepping in to close the gap between them once and for all, "are you going to do about it, Lieutenant Commander Locksley?"

He let out a sign of relief. "Permission to speak freely, captain?"

She nodded. "Permission granted."

"I would very much like to kiss you. If that wouldn't go against regulations." His eyes were hopeful. She didn't need to read him. His expression said it all: his heart was on his sleeve and she still had a chance. And by God, she would take the chance this time. 

"I'm not your commanding officer," she reminded him as she shifted in her low-heeled boots to push herself up to eye level with him. "But permission granted anyway."

He kissed her slow and deep, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her against him at long last. A wave of desire bubbled up as she kissed him back, smiling against his lips and all but letting him lift her off the ground. When they pulled apart, Burnham and Tilly, having left the bar, were staring at them from across the promenade: Burnham with an expression of shock on her usually stoic face; Tilly looking utterly delighted.

"Come on," she said, taking his hand again. "It's high time you met my officers."

Robin permitted himself to be pulled long. "Yes ma'am." A moment's pause and then, "I suppose this makes me your boyfriend now?" His eyes twinkled with that old familiar teasing.

She scoffed at that outdated term. One thing she'd noticed on Ademaru was that they still used a lot of gendered language. Some traditions died hard. "You're my partner," she corrected him. "Maybe you could have been before now if I'd taken the chance."

"You're taking it now," he reminded her. "And I'm taking it with you. What we both wanted in the past doesn't matter now. You're my future, Captain Mills. And if you want me, then you've got yourself a partner."

"I prefer Regina," she reminded him. And now I finally know what Admiral Cornwell meant. My story isn't over yet. I can still write my own ending. I already have everything I need. The war is over and I finally feel at peace with myself and my world. Robin's part of that world. And so is my ship and my crew. We'll write the next chapter together and if we do it right, people will be telling our stories forever.


End file.
